HAMPTON – Rarely, if ever, has a Late Model race gained as much national attention as the first one ever run at Daytona International Speedway in February. C.E. Falk received tweets of support from NASCAR superstars Mark Martin and Brad Keselowski after rising star Kyle Larson wrecked him 50 yards from what looked like a sure victory.

Numerous national media outlets weighed in on the race, almost all sympathetic to Falk, and the buzz continues. On Wednesday, the Motorsports Racing Network invited him on as a guest.

"I'm pretty sure they're not going to ask me about my goldfish," Falk said before going on the air. "I've won a lot of races, three Langley titles and been in the championship hunt, but if it wasn't for Daytona I wouldn't be getting these calls.

"It's funny how one race can be career-changing."

It hasn't been the 180 degree turnaround to land him immediately into one of NASCAR's top three series – his dream since childhood. So, when Langley Speedway begins its 63rd season on Saturday, he will look to build on his dominance – 43 wins and three Late Model titles – of the past four seasons.

But there is reason for optimism of moving up. The MRN gig is a sign he's made a long-lasting imprint nationally, and he's getting a lot of calls from people willing to help him prepare a car if he can get a sponsorship deal to run one of the two Nationwide races this year at Richmond International Raceway.

"I ran three (Camping World) Truck Series races last year," said Falk, who finished 16th in one at Pocono. "That makes me want it that much more.

"I love winning Late Model races and championships, but (the Truck Series and Nationwide) are a whole new ballgame. I like the thought of clawing my way from the bottom to the top."

That, he knows, will take hitting the ground and pursuing leads in hopes of landing that one sponsor who will give him a break. For now, he's fortunate enough to have one of the better sponsors at Langley Speedway in Hampton Roads Toyota Dealers.

"This sport is anything but definite," he said. "There are only 43 (Cup) spots on Sunday and 40 (in Nationwide) on Saturday.

"But Langley is a feature track for a reason. I feel if you run well there it says you can run well everywhere."

Falk believes running well on Langley's 4/10-of-a-mile oval will be especially challenging this year because it has been repaved for the first time in 15 years. The faster speeds that will result, he says, will keep drivers up on the wheel through the entire 150 laps Saturday.

"It's fast and it's only going to get better," Falk said. "It's a beautiful track, but it needs time to get some rubber and fuel dropped on it, some time to get character.

"It will get a little hairy, even on new tires, because you're going a half-second (per lap) faster and the tires can go away quick. It's going to be kind of like Bristol: You're going to have to beat and bang to get by people on the bottom, because you're not going to be able to hang on the outside."

Falk won a division-high 10 races last year, but was disqualified from three races and saw Greg Edwards end his record-tying string of three consecutive titles. While he'd like to snare the title back, that won't be his top priority.

"I was disappointed not to win the title, but I felt for sure like we had the best car," he said. "The wins, the pictures in Victory Lane and memories mean the most to me.

"And what Hampton Roads Toyota Dealers want most is for us to be in Victory Lane. A championship is just a statistic, and anyway, that could go by the wayside if I'm able to move up to another level."